Unit for hanging and protecting a garment



UIHT FOR HANGING AND PROTEGTING GABMEHT Filed Jan. 23,9 19115 Patented June 2l, 1949 UNITED STATES einer UNIT FOR HANGING AND PRGTECTING A GARD/[ENT 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to units for use in hanging and protecting garments.

In displaying and merchandising a garment it has heretofore been customary to utilize a conventional or standard hook equipped hanger and in addition a shoulder protector of the type that comprises coextensive iront and rear panels which are formed of eXible material such as Pliolilm or cellophane and have the side margins thereof and the outer portions of their upper margins connected together by stitching in order that the protector as a whole is of unitary character, is open at the bottom and has a top opening adjacent the central portions of the upper margins of the two panels. In utilizing a unit in the form of a hanger and a shoulder protector the hanger is first applied to the shoulder porH tion of the garment. Thereafter the shoulder protector is sleeved or shifted over the shoulder portion of the hanger supported garment and is maniplated so that the hook of the hanger extends through the top opening between the stitched together outer portions of the upper margins of the front and rear panels of the protector. After so manipulating the protector the hook oi the hanger is applied to a horizontal rod in order to support in a suspended fashion the garment to which the hanger and protector are applied. When it is desired to display or use the garment the hanger and lprotector are iirst removed from the rod by unhooking the hook of the hanger. Thereafter the protector is removed from the shoulder portion of the garment on the hanger by shifting it upwards While at the same time guiding the hook of the hanger through the top opening in the protector. In practice it has been found that a unit in the form of a conventional or standard hook equipped hanger and a shoulder protector of the aforementioned type has but a comparatively short life and is quite diiiicult to handle. The short life of the unit is directly attributable to the fact that repeated insertion and withdrawal of the hook of the hanger with respect to the top opening in the shoulder protector results in rupture or tearing of the front and rear panels of the protector. The necessity of withdrawing the hanger from the rod and removinfT the shoulder protector from the hanger supported shoulder portion of the garment each time it is desired to display or use the garment makes use of the unit both difficult and tedious.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a hanger and protector unit which is an improvement upon, and eliminates the disadvantages of, previously designed and utilized units and is characterized by the fact that it comprises in addition to the conventional hook equipped hanger and the shoulder protector, a main or primary hook equipped hanger which is adapted normally to remain in connected relation with shoulder protector and to hold the protector at all times in suspended relation with respect 'to the horizontal rod by which the unit is supported, and has Imeans whereby the conventional hanger may be detachably suspended from it. By employing the primary hook equipped hanger it is only necessary in connection with use of the unit to detach the conventional hanger from the primary hanger when it is desired to display use the garment on the conventional hanger. In the present unit the conventional hanger becomes and serves as an auxiliary hanger.

Another object of the invention is to lprovide a unit oi the last mentioned type and character in which the primary hanger and the shoulder protector are provided with interlocking means whereby when the shoulder protector is in its operative or normal position with respect to the primary hanger it is held against upward displacement relatively thereto.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hanger and kprotector unit which is generally of new and improved construction, may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and may be handled or manipulated with facility.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present hanger and protector unit will he apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel feaw tures Which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this speciiication or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a hanger and protector unit embodying the invention in assembled form or relation and with a garment ,in place on the conventional hook equipped hanger constituting one of the component parts of the unit;

Figure 2 is a front view oi the conventional hanger which is adapted to be applied to the shoulder portion of the garment to be supported by way of the unit and when in its normal or operative position is in suspended relation with respect to the primary hanger which normally remains in connected relation with the shoulder protector;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section ci the central portion of the primary hanger; and

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line ll-4 of Figure 3 and illustrating in detail the construction and design of the central portion of the primary hanger.

The unit which is shown inthe drawing ccnstitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the` invention. It is primarily designed and adapted for use in hanging and protecting a garment and as its components or principal parts consists of a primary hanger 5, a shoulder protector B and a conventional or standard hanger 1.

The primary hanger 5 is adapted to be suspended from a horizontal hanger rod 8in a closet or display cabinet and serves, as hereinafter described, as a supporting instrumentality for Athe shoulder protector 6 and the conventional or auxiliary hanger 'Lv Itis of compositev but unitary construction and comprises a central housing 9, an upstanding hook I and a pair of outwardly and oppositely extending arms II. The housing 9 is preferably in the form of a one-piece sheet metal stamping and consists of a substantially semicircular front'wall-f I2, a substantially semicircular rear wall I3 and an arcuate side wail I4 between the front and rear walls. As shown in the drawing the front and 4rear walls are disposed in spaced apart-and parallel relation and are arranged so that the straight-marginal portions thereof are at thev bottom. The arcuate sid-e wall I4 extends between and isformed integrally with the curved marginal portions of the front and rear walls and serves -to hold the 'latter in spaced relation. The bottom ofthe housing 9 is open in order that the interior of the housing is accessible from below. The upstanding hook I Il of the primary hanger for thev most part overlies the housing 9 and is adapted" to beV applied to the horizontal rod 8, as shown in-Figurel. It embodies a depending or downwardly extending shank I5, the lower end 'off'which extends into the upper central portion of the interiorof the housing 9 through a circular hole 15in the upper central portion of the arcuate side Wall It of the housing, i. e., the apex orl top of the housing. The arms Il project outwards in 'opposite directions from the lower corner portionsl ofv the housing 9 and are downwardly curved fromitheir in ner to their outer ends.- They are preferably formed of comparatively stili" or heavy wire and serve, as hereinafter described, to support the shoulder protector 6. The inner ends of the arms I I t snugly within notches I1 in the ends of the side wall I4 of the housingl 9 and are connected together by an inverted U-shapedloop I8. The latter is disposed within the interior of the housing 9 and surrounds and engagesthe inner surface of the arcuate side wall I4. Itis secured in xed relation with the housing'9 as the result of being welded to the housing side wall I4. The lower end of the shank I5 of the upstanding hook IU is welded to the upper central portion of the semicircular loop I8. By reason of the fact that the loop I8, which serves to connect together the arms I I and also to anchor the hook I0, is welded to the arcuate side wall I4 the arms and hook are in fixed or connected relation -with the housing 9. In addition to the parts heretofore mentioned the primary hanger 5 comprises a horizontally extending rivet I9. This rivet extends through circular holes in the central lowerportions of the front and rear walls I2.and I3 of the housing 9 4. and has a twofold purpose in that it serves as a supporting or suspension medium for the conventional or auxiliary hanger 1 and also to hold the lower central portions of the front and rear walls I3 and I4 against outward deflection or distortion. The primary hanger 5 is so proportioned and constructed that when it is suspended from the horizontal rod 8 by way of the hook Iil the arms II are in balanced relation, i. e., they are spaced equidistantly from the subjacent floor.

The shoulder protector 6 is adapted in connection with use of the unit to surround and protect the shoulder portion of the garment that is supported by the unit. It comprises a substantially semicircular front panel 2l and a substantially similarly shaped rear panel 22 and these are formed of Pliolm, cellophane or like flexible material and are arranged so that the straight margins thereof project downwards. The side margins and the outer portions of the upper margins of the front and rear panels 2i and 22 are connected together by stitching 23. The straight bottom margins of the iront and rear panels are free with respect to one another in order that the shoulder protector 5 as a whole is open at the bottom. The central portions of the upper margins of the front and rear panels are provided with integral upstanding tongues 29 and these have rounded upper margins and are free in order that the shoulder protector 6 embodies a top opening for accommodatingk the housing 9 of the primary hanger 5. As best shown in Figure 4, the tongues 29 lap the front and rear walls I2 and I3 of the housing 9 when thef shoulder protector 6 :is in supported relation with the primary hanger 5. In assembling the unit the primary hanger 5'is Yshifted upwards into the interior of the shoulder protector and is manipulated so as to bring the housing 9 into a position wherein it extends upwards through the top opening in the protector and also to bring the outwardly and oppositely extending arms II into engagement with the stitched together outer portions of the upper margins of the front and rear panels ZI and 22 of the protector. When the primary hanger is so manipulated the hook It projects upwards beyond the top opening in the shoulder protector 6 and is capable of being hooked onto the horizontal rod 8 so as to suspend from the latter the assembly of primary hanger and shoulder cover. In order to form an interlocking means o-r arrangement ior'preventing upward displacement of the yshoulder protectork 6 with respect to the primary hanger 5 the central portions of the front and rear walls of the housing 9 are provided with horizontal slits. The portions of said front and rear walls thatfare disposed above the slits are struck outwards to deiine outwardly and downwardly extending lips 25 for surrounding and overlying the upper ends of the upstanding tongues 2d. In completing assembly of the shoulder protector 6 with respect `to the primary hanger` 5 the upper ends of the tongues 2d are inserted under the lips 25, as shown in Figure 4 in order so to interlock the protector relatively to the primaryv hanger that it is prevented from upward displacement with respect to the primary hanger; If it is necessary to replace the shoulder` protector it is only necessary irst to remove the primary hanger 5 vfrom the horizontal rod- Il and withdraw the shoulder protector 6 from the primary hanger. Withdrawal of the shoulder protector'is effected by first withdrawing'the tongues from under the out-struck lips and then sliding the protector upwards away from the primary hanger.

The auxiliary hanger 'l is of conventional or standard design and comprises an arcuate crossbar 26 and an upstanding hook 21. The hook projects upwards from the central portion of the crossbar and has a depending shank which eX tends through said central portion of the crossbar and is anchored in place. The crossbar 26 of the conventional or auxiliary hanger 1 is adapted to have the shoulder portion of the garment applied to it and the hook 2,1 of the hanger is adapted, as shown in Figure 1, to be manipulated into hooked relation with the rivet i9 in .order to hold the conventional hanger 'l in connected relation with the primary hanger 5. When the hanger 'l is suspended or hooked relation with the primary hanger the crossbar 26 is located beneath but in close proximity to the arms I I of the primary hanger and supports the shoulder portion of g the garment so that it is disposed within and is housed by the shoulder protector 6. When it is desired to display or use the gar-ment on the conventional or auxiliary hanger 1 the latter is removed by first unhooking the hook 2l from the rivet I9 and then lowering the conventional hanger 'l so as to withdraw it together with the shoulder portion of the garment from the shoulder protector 6. The hook 21 and the rivet IB serve as a readily detachable connection between the .Y

conventional hanger 'l and the primary hanger 5. It is contemplated that in connection with use of the unit the primary hanger and the shoulder protector will `at all normal times remain in suspended relation with the horizontal rod 8, and i the conventional hanger 'I will be removed from the primary hanger and shoulder protector when the garment is to be used or displayed and will be hooked onto the rivet I9 when it is desired to suspend the garment from the primary hanger and house the shoulder portion thereof within the shoulder protector 6. By employing the primary and conventional hangers as parts of the unit the life of the unit as a whole is materially increased because removal and application of the conventional hanger does not necessitate passage of a hook through the top opening in the shoulder protector. As shown in the drawings the crossbar 25 is curved conformably to the arms il of the primary hanger 5. The herein described hanger and protector unit is comparatively simple in design and hence may be manu factured at a low and reasonable cost. It may be handled with facility and is characterized by the fact that it has a comparatively long life.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. As a new article of manufacture, a unitary primary hanger adapted in conjunction with a shoulder protector with an open bottom and a top opening and also a conventional hook equipped garment supporting hanger to hang and protect a garment on the conventional hanger and comprising; (l) a longitudinally elongated open bottom housing shaped and constructed to fit within the top opening of the protector and having iixedly connected thereto an element extending transversely across the lower central portion of its interior and adapted to have hooked onto it the hook of the conventional hanger, (2) a pair of oppositely extending arms projecting outwards from the lower corner portions @of the housing and shaped and constructed to support the shoulder protector, and (3) an upstanding hook extending upwards from the upper central portion of the housing and adapted to be hooked onto a support.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a unit adapted in conjunction with a garment supporting auxiliary hanger to hang and protect the garment while it is on said auxiliary hanger and coin prising a unitary primary hanger embodying a longitudinally elongated housing provided on one of the sides thereof with an outwardly extending and downwardly facing lip and having means for receiving and supporting the auxiliary hanger, a pair of oppositely extending arms projecting outwards from the lower corners of the housing, and an upstanding hook extending upwards from the upper central portion of the housing and adapted to be hooked onto support, and a protector embodying iiexble front and rear panels with the outer portions or the upper margins thereof connected together, provided with an access opening for the garment and in addition a top opening adjacent the central portions of the upper margina or the iront and rear panels, mounted on the primary hanger so that its outer upper portions rest on said arms and the housing oi the primary hanger extends through said top opening, having on the central portion 0I the upper margin of one of its panels an upwardly projecting tongue tting within and interlocked with the lip and serving to hold the protector against upward displacement with respect to the primary hanger.

3. As a new article oi manufacture, a unit adapted in conjunction with a garment supporting auxiliary hanger to hang and protect the garment while it is on said hanger and comprising unitary primary hanger embodying a longitudinally elongated housing having on the sides thereof outwardly extending and downwardly facing lips and having means for receiving and supporting said auxiliary hanger, a pair of 0ppositely extending arms projecting outwards from the lower corner portions of the housing, and an upstanding hook extending upwards from the upper central portion of the housing and adapted to be hooked onto a support, and a protector embodying exible front and rear panels with the outer portions of the upper margins thereof connected together, provided with an access opening for the garment and in addition a top opening adjacent the central portions of the upper margins of the front and rear panels, mounted on the primary hanger so that its outer upper portions rest on said arms and the housing of the primary hanger extends upwards through said top opening, and having on the central portions of the upper margins of its panels upwardly extending tongues arranged in interlocked relation with the lips and serving to hold the protector against upward displacement with respect to said primary hanger.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a unitary primary hanger adapted in conjunction with a shoulder protector with an open bottom and a top opening and also an auxiliary garment-supporting hanger to hang and protect a garment on the auxiliary hanger and comprising: (1) a longitudinally elongated open bottom housing shaped and constructed to t within the top opening of the protector, provided with means for receiving and supporting the auxiliary hanger, and having disposed longitudinally therein and aiiixed thereto an inverted U-shaped loop; (2) a pair of oppositelyextending arms projecting outwards from the lower corner portions of the housing, having the inner ends thereof connected to the ends of the loop, shaped and constructed to t within the upper outer portions of the shoulder protectonand adapted when the unitary primary hanger is in operative relation with said shoulder protector to support the latter;` and (3) an upstanding hook extending upwards from the upper central portion of the housing and adapted to be hooked onto a support.

5. As `a new article of manufacture, a unitary primary hanger adapted in conjunction with a shoulder protector with an open bottom and a top lopening and also an auxiliary garment-supporting hanger to hang and protect a garment on the auxiliary hanger and comprising: (l) a longitudinally elongated, comparatively thin, open bottom housing shaped to it Within 'the top opening of the protector, provided with means for receiving and supporting the auxiliary hanger, embodying notches in its lower corner portions and a vertically .extending opening in its top central portion, and having disposed longitudinally therein and aiixed thereto an inverted U-shaped loop, (2) a pair of oppositely extending arms projecting outwards from the lower corner portions. of'thezhousingrhaving the inner ends thereof fitting Within the notches and connected to the ends of the loop, shaped and constructed toA t Within the .upper outer portions of the shoulder protector, andadapted when the unitary primary hanger is: in operative relation With the shoulder protector to supportv the latter, and (3). an kupstanding hook extending upwards from the upper-central portion of the housing, adapted to be hooked onto a support, and having the lower end thereof extending through the aforesaid opening inthe top central portion of the housing and connected to the central. portion of said loop.

E. PRAHMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED- STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,124,771 Madden Jian. 12, 1915 1,643,077 Leukoff Sept. 20, 1927 1,651,706 Holbrook Dec. 6, 1927 2,042,846. Hoiman June 2, 1936 2,348,523 Chai-kin May 9, 1944 2,391,661 Watkinset al Dec. 25, 1945 Re. 19,947 Goldsmith Apr. 28, 1935 

